The Holiness Of GOD !

 

DEFINITION

The holiness of God refers to the absolute moral purity of God and the absolute moral distance between God and his human creatures.

SUMMARY

The core idea of divine holiness is absolute moral purity. God’s holiness is an enduring thematic thread throughout the Scripture often associated with divine theophanies when God “shows up” in the midst of and on behalf of his people. The theme of holiness develops in unexpected ways with the advent of Jesus and the Pentecost experience of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. Divine holiness closely attaches in mysterious ways to both divine justice and divine mercy and is the clearest explanation of the death of Jesus on the cross.

Holiness: Attractive and Dangerous

The holiness of God refers to the absolute moral purity of God and also the absolute moral distance between God and his human creatures. The prophet Isaiah declared, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty” (Isa 6:3). It is the only description of God repeated in the three-fold formula—a literary device to bring great emphasis. God is not just a little bit holy. God is REALLY, REALLY, REALLY holy. This served to remind Israel in the original context, and us at present, that God’s holiness is a matter of enormous spiritual significance. It also serves as a warning that we humans are not holy. Holiness is a central marker of the fundamental divide between God and the sinful human creature—most especially in their fallen condition but also in the redeemed state entirely dependent upon God for any holiness that might reside in them.

The core idea behind holiness is absolute moral purity. God is not only perfectly good; he is the very source and standard of goodness. In this regard, goodness has a permanence to it precisely because it is rooted in the eternal and everlasting God. Goodness does not change because God does not change.

God’s absolute moral purity often carries the connotation of danger as well. It was a great fear within Israel to get too close to God lest they be overwhelmed by his holiness. God’s presence was a great comfort to Israel while at the same time being a great threat to their own unholy lives. One did not lightly or superficially come before God. Most often, one would need a mediator to go before God on their behalf lest they suffer the consequences of being in the presence of absolute holiness while themselves not being holy.

Holiness in the Old and New Testaments

Throughout the Old Testament this was symbolically signified in various ways. During the time of the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph) circumcision was enacted to symbolize the seriousness of being cut off because of sin from the covenant with God. The theophanies of the Mosaic period (burning bush, ten plagues, the exodus, lightning and thunder at Sinai) all carried a fearful and awe-inspiring experience when God “showed up.” In the tent of meeting (Exod 26) and later at the temple (1Kgs 6–8), the place of God’s presence was known as the “holy of holies.” The intensity of God’s presence also entailed that only a proper representative could enter in the holy of holies, and only then with a proper sacrifice that would serve as a substitute on behalf of the sins of the people. The annual rite of The Day of Atonement (Lev 16, 23; Heb 9) was a time when the High Priest in Israel would enter into the Holy of Holies with the blood of a sacrificed lamb without blemish and sprinkle the blood on the altar as the means to symbolize the death of a substitute for Israel. The only proper response in the face of divine holiness connected to all of these diverse ways in which God’s holiness became manifest was prostration and worship.

In the New Testament, divine holiness is mostly clearly attached to the Spirit of the God—referred to as the Holy Spirit some eighty-nine times in the New Testament. The holiness of God, which served as the primary obstacle that separated God from unholy people, was now lodged in the person of the Trinity that was poured out on his unholy people and by which God’s holiness took up residence in human hearts. The Holy Spirit brought holiness where there was none, and he was/is the means by which believers participated in the holiness of God personally.

God’s driving passion from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation is to make the universe a holy dwelling place for himself. The consummation of that motive in the new heavens and new earth (Rev 21–22), hearkens back to the original garden of Eden (Gen 2–3) when God created a place of fruitful goodness. However, the consummation also completes that which was lost in the garden and which was redeemed most fully in Jesus—namely, a people for God’s own possession that would be “at home” in his presence and holiness.

Holiness and its Relationship to Justice and Mercy

There are several closely related ethical themes in Scripture to divine holiness, most notably justice/righteousness and mercy. Divine justice is one outworking of divine holiness, marking out the ethical consequences of actions—dividing righteous actions from evil actions. The just consequences of evil actions are a punishment proportionate to the action. The Old Testament standard of “an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth” may seem distasteful to modern ears, but it simply is an ancient colloquial way of saying the punishment should fit the crime. Actions have consequences. Standards of justice determine how consequences should be fitted ethically to the prior actions. Israel’s case law in the book of Leviticus laid out the just consequences for many actions though clearly not every possible action was considered. Divine justice is the standard by which all human actions will finally be judged. The reminder throughout Scripture that God cannot be bribed (Deut 10:17) nor does he show partiality (2Chron 19:7), was the powerful reminder that God’s judgment will be entirely and perfectly just.

The great and unexpected irony of Scripture is that God shows mercy to the unjust. The promise even in the garden with Adam and Eve that the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent (Gen 3), was a promise that God would defeat evil justly while also showing mercy to those who were undeserving (Gen 3:15; Gal 3:16). The covenant established with Abraham (Gen 12–15) was grounded in God’s mercy, the only appropriate response of Abraham and his descendants was trust in God’s mercy. There was no allowance that Abraham nor his descendants could earn God’s favor. Yet, the question remained—how would their sins be dealt with? Would God merely and arbitrarily forget their sins? Would God put aside his justice in order to show his love? Would one half of God’s character (righteousness/justice) be sacrificed for the other half of God’s character (mercy/love)? The answer to all of these questions rested in an adequate understanding of God’s holiness—which did not sacrifice his justice nor undermine his mercy. All of the manifest representations of God’s holiness across the Old Testament foreshadowed the substitutionary atonement of Jesus. The shocking reality was that God himself would take the punishment himself (on the cross) for the sins of his people, and thereby show them mercy in the forgiveness of their sins. This mercy was undeserved, which mercy must always be, but was also entirely just since the entire punishment and penalty was paid (by Jesus). Divine justice was not obliterated by divine mercy, but neither was his mercy impeded by his justice. The great mystery of the cross is the reality that it is the full satisfaction of divine justice and the full display of divine mercy (Rom 3, 4).

Conclusion

God’s holiness is the underpinning to the entire narrative arc of Scripture. His holiness means that all of the created order functions within a fixed moral order wherein good and evil are never simply relative terms contingent upon a culture’s moral taste buds. Human flourishing is always a function of delighting in that which God delights and desiring that which God desires. God’s holiness gives us the clearest frame of reference for human corruption and dysfunction across the whole of Scripture. God’s holiness also marks out the remarkable appearances of God into human history in ways that are mysterious, stupendous and scary. The greatest hope of an Israelite was to see God and their greatest fear was to see God—because absolute holiness is always both attractive and terrifying. The holiness of God runs right through the entirety of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. It is why so few of Jesus’ contemporaries understand him on the pages of the Gospels. When God shows up in history, his presence is inscrutable. The first appropriate reaction is always worship and gratitude and only afterwards may a modicum of understanding emerge. When God sends his holiness into our lives and communities by his (Holy) Spirit, the Good News of Jesus’ death and resurrection on our behalf spreads even to the nations. When God brings a final defeat to evil, there will no longer be a need for a temple with a “holy of holies” for the Holy God will dwell in the midst of his people forever and ever.

By Richard Lints

THE IMMINENT RETURN OF CHRIST

Imminent Return of Christ

By David Dunlap

“Behold, I come quickly…” Revelation 22:7  

The soon coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His bride, the church, occupies a large and important position in the word of God. The Old and New Testaments in type and teaching fully expound this doctrine of the imminent return of Christ. In the writings of the Gospels, the Epistles, and Revelation the Lord Himself and the Apostles affirm, exhort and instruct concerning it in exact detail. This doctrine has long stirred the church to separation from the world and holy living, and has been used to thrust out missionaries into the far corners of the globe. Yet the scope of this doctrine extends further than a powerful challenge to holy living and service; it is also a tender comfort to the soul amid the sorrows and anguish of life. Christ’s words to His disciples have long been a balm for many in sorrow. “Let not your hearts be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; so that where I am you may be also” (John 14:1-2). Seasoned saints in the twilight of life have often testified to the transforming power of the “Blessed Hope” and “Trump of God”. In emphasizing the practical effect of this doctrine in the life of a believer, theologian Dr. Alva McClain writes, 

“To the churches on earth Christ gives a thrice-repeated reminder of something which must never be forgotten; for it will give courage in the hour of battle, strength in our weakness, and hope in the hour of despair. Let us hear Him as He speaks: ‘Behold I come quickly’(Rev. 22:7); ‘Behold, I come quickly’ (Rev. 22:12); ‘Surely, I come quickly’ (Rev. 22:21).” (1)

However, the doctrine of imminency is not merely a great comfort and motivation to the Christian, but it is essential in the interpretation of Holy Scripture. A true understanding of the offices of Christ, the nature of the Church, the divine purposes of the Great Tribulation, the Millennium and the eternal state hinge upon the careful interpretation of biblical prophecy. It is the very key which unlocks portions of the Bible that have long remained hidden by medieval theology. A one-time professor of Systematic Theology at Wheaton College, Dr. Henry Thiessen, writes passionately about the doctrines crucial importance to Bible interpretation, 

“The recognition of the fundamental character of the doctrine of the Lord’s return is the key to the Scriptures. Many Bible doctrines, ordinances, promises, and types cannot be fully understood except in the light of the doctrine of the Lord’s return.” (2)

Unfortunately, down through the centuries the importance of the imminent return of Christ for the church has eluded many Christians. Frequently, in theological works on the study of “Last Things”, especially during the Middle Ages and Reformation period, the subject of the personal return of Christ for the church was completely omitted. It is only within the last 170 years that this truth has been clearly expounded. Bible teachers from among the so-called Plymouth Brethren have been recognized as leaders in recovering this important truth. Referring to this recovery of the truths of the Lord’s return, respected Bible teacher Dr. Renald Showers writes,

“During the 19th century the Plymouth Brethren including one of their key leaders, John Nelson Darby, played a very significant role in developing, systematizing and spreading Dispensational Theology.” (3)

However, respected teachers and preachers from Reformed and Baptist denominations have developed untenable teachings through a misinterpretation of the words of Christ. These interpretations have produced more heat than light, and thereby many sincere believers have been robbed of their joy and motivation for Christian service. Although the number of these prophetic interpretations has been many, some have been more widespread than others. 

1. The Misinterpretation of the Coming—The Holy Spirit at Pentecost.,

It has been taught by some that the return of Christ is the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. Early church fathers Hilary, Chrysostom, Euthymus and Theophylact taught that Matthew 16:28 pertained not to the coming of the Son of man in His Kingdom, but to the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. Bible teacher Albert Barnes, well-known author of “Barnes’ Notes of the Bible”, believes that this verse has a partial fulfillment on the day of Pentecost. However, did not the Lord Himself say, “A little while, and ye behold Me no more and again a little while, ye shall see Me” (John 16:16)? 

2. The Misinterpretation of the Coming—The Death of a Believer

Well-known expositor Matthew Henry wrote that the phrase “ye know not what hour your Lord doth come” (Matt. 24:42) refers to the day of a believer’s death. He writes, “We know not the day of our death, we cannot know how long we have to live nor how little time we have to live. Concerning both, we are kept in uncertainty, that we may every day expect that which may come any day.” (4) Was this our Lord’s intended meaning when He uttered those words? A careful examination reveals that, biblically, the difference between death and the Lord’s coming is great. Death in the scriptures is referred to as an “enemy”; but the Lord’s return is said to be a “Blessed Hope”. At death we dig a grave; at the Lord’s return we leave the grave behind. Thankfully, today most Bible students have set aside this ill-reasoned prophetic interpretation. Despite the fact that many have set forth unsound theories concerning the scriptural evidence for the Lord’s return and that today quaint theories and wild speculations continue to assault us regularly through popular Christian radio and the printed page, the serious Christian need not despair. The biblical proof in the New Testament for the Lord’s return is extensive. The New Testament Christian lived in watchful expectancy of Jesus Christ’s imminent return. The “twinkling eye”, the “shout” and the “Father’s house” have all served to stir the heart to joyful anticipation. The apostle Paul writes, “...from whence (heaven) we look for the Saviour” (Phil. 3:20); “Waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 1:7); “Ye turned to God…to wait for His Son from heaven” (1 Thess. 1:9, 10); “Looking for…the glorious appearing of…our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Tit. 2:13); “unto them that look for him shall He appear” (Heb. 9:28). Not only was the expectation of His imminent return clearly taught by Christ and His apostles, but it was also taught that to expect otherwise was characteristic of an unfaithful servant. “But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming…” (Matthew 24:48) “...be ye therefore ready also, for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not” Luke 12:40). Moreover, the belief in the imminent return of Christ constrains Christians and churches to develop a worldwide missionary vision of reaching the lost for Christ. Our burden for the lost should be even greater, considering the nearness of the Lord’s return. Since we have more reason to believe that Christ will come to receive us to Himself in our lifetime than in any other time in church history, with eagerness we ought to seek to reach the lost with the good news of Christ. Dr. Timothy Weber, a church historian at Yale University, has noted that the doctrine of imminency has been a great incentive in world missions since the rise of premillennial teaching in the 1840’s. He writes, “By the 1920’s (dispensational) premillennialists were claiming that they made up ‘an overwhelming majority’ of the missions movement. Others estimated that believers in the imminent second coming made up from 75 to 80 percent of the missionary force world-wide…American premillennialists were better represented on the mission fields than in the home churches…Instead of cutting missionary involvement, premillennialism increased it.” (5) Therefore, we suggest that the best cure for spiritual apathy and lethargy among Christians is an aggressive prophetic Bible teaching program in the local church stressing the imminent return of Christ. The greatest incentive for holy living is for able ministers of the word to boldly assert that the glorified, holy Son of God may at any moment leave the glories of the Father’s house and re-enter the closing days of world history to call the church, the body of Christ, to be with Him forever. 

The imminent return of Christ should have a tremendous and profound effect upon the values, priorities and activities of every serious Christian. This doctrine provides every Christian with a great hope for the future, a comfort in sorrow and a steadfast purpose for today. Dear Christian, the Lord’s coming is near—perhaps today? Are you ready to meet Him?

THE CHRISTIAN AND THE WORLD !

Christians use the term “World” differently than most people. For us, it depends on its context as to its precise meaning. We may speak of the entirety of Creation as crafted by God in Genesis. We may simply speak broadly of the world as the place where men and animals exist. But often our view of the world is much darker; it is a bad place in opposition to the Lord.

Paul has this latter meaning in mind when, in 2 Corinthians 6:17, he calls his readers to “go out from their midst” (ESV) or “come ye out from among them” (ASV, 1911). The people the Christians are to separate from are the world. Christians must live in and among evil people, that is, the world. The challenge is to remain unblemished by their wickedness.

The World is the Place of the Wicked

David declares,  “Arise, O LORD! Confront him, subdue him! Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword, from men by your hand, O LORD, from men of the world whose portion is in this life” (Psalm 17:13, 14). The psalmist sought deliverance from worldly men. Jesus taught similarly in the parable of the dishonest manager in Luke 16:1-9. Here the cheating business manager is akin to the “sons of the world” and is contrasted against the “sons of light.”

The wicked surely love their kind while they hate the righteous. Jesus described these people as being “from below”while he is from above. Jesus said, “I am not of this world” (John 8:23). In fact, the world hates Jesus, and by extension, his disciples (John 15:18, 19).

The World is the Domain of Satan

Colossians says of Christians that we have been delivered “from the domain of darkness” (Colossians 1:13). The ruler of that domain is the devil. Before his crucifixion, Jesus said the ruler of the world was about to be destroyed (John 12:31). He said the “ruler of this world” was coming (John 14:30) and that divine judgment had come upon that ruler (John 16:11).

Satan had previously tempted Jesus by offering him all the kingdoms of the world (Matthew 4:8, 9). Since Jesus was divine and possessed perfect knowledge, it must have been possible for Satan to have delivered upon this temptation. Otherwise, there would be no temptation in the offer. This should demonstrate the extraordinary power Satan possessed in the pre-resurrection world.

Today, Satan is restricted. Still, his worldly disciples work to influence all that happens in our present world.

The World is the Last Place Christians Want to Be

The Christian faces a conundrum: We must live and work in the world, but we cannot belong to the world. The closer I walk to the world and its way of thinking, the farther I am from God. The Christian longs for the day when the world is behind him and eternity stretches before his tired eyes. Even the martyred saints long for the day when God’s justice breaks forth on the world (Revelation 6:10). They were told to wait a little longer. And so it is! We will remain in the world, but apart from it, until the times appointed by the Lord.

We will survive this sojourn only by giving careful attention to the Word of God, frequent prayers and with extraworldly fellowship with our brethren. God promises deliverance for his people.

THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN

Sin is the transgression of God's commandment. And it entails three consequences:

1. It separates from God. 

2. It entails punishment. 

3. It leaves a stain.

God has given His Commandments for the good of men. They are the maxims by which they must rule their conduct, in order that the world may go on in peace and orderliness, and that they may remain in communion with Him. Sin is the violation of this law, the break-up of order, the disturbance of peace, and the interruption of communion.

1. It separates from God. When mortal sin has been committed, the flow of divine grace is arrested, just as when something gets into a pipe it chokes it, so that the stream of water can no longer run till the stoppage is removed. Thus the presence of mortal sin in the conscience at once cuts off from the favour of God, and prevents growth in the spiritual life. The sinner is guilty in the sight of God, and if he die in unpardoned deadly sin, stands in great danger of being lost.

Now, here it is that Christ intervenes. He reconciles the sinner to the Father, and He takes away the barrier which separates them. He removes the stoppage which interferes with the flow of Grace. In one word, He removes the guilt. That is the work of the Atonement. For this Christ died. But for the Cross of Calvary, man, once alienated from God by sin, must remain in alienation. "Christ," says S. Paul, "having made peace through the blood of the Cross, hath reconciled all things unto Himself. And you, that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, now hath He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in God's sight."

2. It entails suffering. God's law is that all sin must be punished -- that is, where there is transgression, suffering must follow. When a man squanders his fortune by extravagance, he may bitterly repent, but he continues to suffer for his folly. When a man has got drunk, he may be full of sorrow for what he has done, but he has a headache next day all the same. When a woman has lost her character, she may weep tears of bitter repentance, and God may pardon her as He pardoned Magdalen, but she can never recover her character, and must suffer the consequences of her act. In this world or in the next, all sin must be expiated by suffering. Christ by His death removed the guilt of sin, but not the suffering for sin. S. Peter bids us remember that suffering remains a consequence, for he exhorts us, "Forasmuch as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin." That is, the sin is wholly expiated only when the suffering it brings after it has been undergone.

3. It leaves a stain or scar. No man is the same after sinning as he was before. The sin may be forgiven and suffered for, but the scar remains on his soul. The soul as it leaves the hand of God is white and innocent, in its passage through life it meets with many self-inflicted wounds, these wounds of the soul are sin. Thus it suffers till the wound is healed, and the medicine of the soul is the blood of Christ. The blood heals, but the scar remains. The soul, as seen by God and angels, is marked all over with the traces of the sins which have torn it. The baptized child is given a robe of innocence white as snow. Every sin is a stain upon it, and if you could see now, as angels see, your baptismal garment, you would find it spotted and smeared all over. Suppose I were to take this surplice and splash it over with ink, I might with much labour take out the ink stains, but never so entirely cleanse it that no trace remains. Or I might walk in it through the bushes, and get it torn with the thorns and brambles. Then all the rents might be carefully darned up, but -- the surplice would never look as sound and beautiful as when new.

This is precisely like the state of the soul after sin, it is torn and stained, and although the sins may be forgiven, and the stains washed, and the rents healed, yet to the end of life the marks remain of where they have been, the effects are uneffaced.

III. Now what are some of these effects? In the first place, every sin weakens the soul. It takes from it not only its innocence, but its power of resistance. Just as a wound weakens you by the loss of blood, so a sin weakens you by loss of resisting power. You are not so strong to fight against evil after sinning as you were before.

In the second place, you have become more careless and even hardened about sin than you were before. When you have a new coat or gown, you are very careful of it that it be not spotted and torn, but once it loses its first newness, you are not so particular, and the more spotted and torn it becomes, the less you care for the injuries done it, you say, "It is an old dress and very much used, another stain or patch does not matter." So with the soul, when you have become accustomed to sinning, you no longer dread sin.

CONCLUSION. -- And now remember, in this thy day, the things that belong to thy peace, and dread sin for its consequences, lest by over much confidence you may exceed your measure, and then the chance of recovery will be gone from you for ever.

Christian Perseverance

Answer: The Bible has a lot to say about perseverance in several different contexts. Clearly, the Scriptures teach that those who “overcome” and persevere in the faith will inherit eternal life (Revelation 2:7). This truth is also expressed in Colossians 1:23 where we see that people will be holy, blameless and above reproach “if they continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel.” So all Christians should be in agreement that those who are ultimately saved are those who do persevere and continue to believe the gospel.

There are two very distinct views on the issue of perseverance of the saints among Christians. The first is the Arminian view that it is possible for true Christians to turn away from God and not persevere. This is consistent with the concept of salvation which has man’s “free will” at the center of it. It is logically consistent that, if man’s “free will” choice is the determining factor of his salvation, then it would also be possible for that man to later choose to reject God and thereby lose his salvation.

However, the Bible clearly teaches that we are “born again” by the Holy Spirit, which results in our coming to faith in Christ. All who have been “born again” do have eternal security and will persevere. The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints is founded in the promise that “he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6) and Jesus’ declaration that “all that the Father gives me will come to me” and “I shall lose none of them that he has given me” (John 6:37, 39).

Beyond the concept of perseverance in regard to salvation, there are biblical exhortations to persevere in the Christian life. In his pastoral epistles to Timothy, the apostle Paul reminds the young pastor to “watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Timothy 4:16). Timothy’s character was that of a godly man, and his doctrine was sound and scriptural. Paul warned him to watch them both closely and persevere in them because—and this is a warning to all Christians—perseverance in godly living and believing the truth always accompany genuine conversion (John 8:31; Romans 2:7).

Further exhortations to persevere in the Christian life come from James, who warns us to be “doers of the word and not hearers only” because those who hear but do not do are “deceiving themselves.” “But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it [perseveres]…this one will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:22-24). The sense here is that the Christian who perseveres in godliness and the spiritual disciplines will be blessed in the very act of persevering. The more we persevere in the Christian life, the more God grants His blessings upon us, thereby enabling us to continue to persevere. The psalmist reminds us that there is great reward in persevering in the Christian life. In keeping God’s commandments, there is “great reward” for our souls (Psalm 19:11), peace of mind, a clear conscience, and a witness to the world more eloquent than many words.

James also exhorts us to persevere “under trials” because those who do will be blessed and will receive the “crown of life” which God has promised (James 1:12). Just as the true believer will be eternally secure in his salvation, his faith will also persevere in affliction, sickness, persecution, and the other trials of life that befall all believers. If we desire to live godly lives in Christ, we will suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12), but the faithful will persevere, kept by the power of the Holy Spirit who is the guarantee of our salvation and who will keep us “strong to the end,” persevering so we will be “blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:8).

DEALING WITH PAST DIVORCE !

If you are reading this article and you’ve been divorced, you may be wrestling with your own questions or feelings of guilt—particularly if you’ve concluded that your divorce was not biblically grounded. It is easy to become weighed down by the shame of past mistakes. Sometimes there are abiding consequences in relationships with others, but before God, “If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9).

“Repentance usually doesn't mean we get to do things over again; often it is too late to get a second chance with the same person, especially if one party has remarried,” Keener observes. “But it does mean that we make restitution as best as possible, confessing and doing whatever is possible to make things right with the people involved, including spouse, children, or anyone else affected by it.”

Vernick says, “Really messing up badly and understanding grace is the most beautiful thing that can happen.” She adds that we can show God our gratitude for his grace by learning from our mistakes. As we experience God’s grace for our failures or sins, it transforms us into more gracious people who readily extend God’s mercy and compassion to others.

DIVORCE ALLOWANCE IN CHRISTIANITY

The Bible only explicitly allows divorce for two reasons. Köstenberger, who is also the President of Biblical Foundations, summarizes: “Jesus proceeded to state one exception in which case divorce is permissible: sexual immorality on [the] part of one’s spouse, that is, in context, adultery (Matthew 19:9).” Köstenberger clarifies, “In such a case, however, divorce is not mandated or even encouraged—forgiveness and reconciliation should be extended and pursued if at all possible. But divorce is allowed, especially in cases where the sinning spouse persists in an adulterous relationship.”

Köstenberger goes on to note, “Paul adds a second exception, in instances where an unbelieving spouse abandons the marriage. This would typically be the case when one of the two partners is converted to Christ at some point after marrying and the other person refuses to continue in the marriage” (see 1 Corinthians 7).

MARRIAGE: A LONG LIFE COMMITMENT AND COVENANT

Scripture consistently communicates that marriage is a lifelong commitment. Jesus described the relationship between husband and wife this way in Matthew 19:6: “They are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate” (NIV). Dr. Craig Keener, Professor of Biblical Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary, explains how crucial this understanding is, saying, “Jesus reminds us that in the beginning God joined man and woman together. ‘One flesh’ often refers to one's relatives or kin, so the husband and wife becoming ‘one flesh’ should be a family unit no less permanent than our families of origin should be.”

“The biblical ideal is marriage as a lifelong union between a man and a woman, both of whom are Spirit-filled disciples of Christ (Ephesians 5:18),” affirms Dr. Andreas Köstenberger, Senior Research Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He emphasizes that “marriage illustrates the principle of two becoming one, [a principle] which is also present in the spiritual union between Christ and the church (head and body; Ephesians 5:32).”

Dr. Beth Felker Jones, Associate Professor of Theology at Wheaton College, adds,

Marriage, created by God as a “one flesh” union, is meant to be a sign of God's unbreakable covenant with us. This is an important symbol throughout the Scriptures: God is compared to a husband and God's people to a wife. When, by the grace of God, we're able to keep a marriage together, we get to be symbols—imperfect symbols, but still symbols—of God's faithfulness to his people. Marriages are supposed to last because they are symbols of God's lasting love for us.